Doncaster woman jailed for fatally stabbing partner during argument

Sarah Marshall

A 33-year-old Doncaster woman has been jailed for manslaughter, after she fatally stabbed her partner in the leg during an argument at her home.

Judge Julian Goose QC sentenced Lisa Thorpe to four-and-a-half years in prison during a hearing at Sheffield Crown Court today, after the 33-year-old admitted to one count of manslaughter relating to the death of John Poole.

Lisa Thorpe, 33, of The Avenue, Bentley has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for killing her partner John Poole during an argument

The court was told how after both drinking to excess on the evening of October 28 last year, Thorpe and Mr Poole both ended up at her home in The Avenue, Bentley where a violent argument broke out between the couple who were described as having a 'volatile' relationship.

Giving evidence at court today, Thorpe claimed the argument stemmed from Mr Poole, aged 50, believing she had been having sex with her friend, Danny.

Just after midnight, Thorpe stabbed Mr Poole in his left calf with a kitchen knife.

The mum-of-five stabbed him so deeply, the knife went all the way through his leg and severed an artery in the process, the court was told.

John Poole's daughter, Chelsea, says his death has 'devastated' their entire family

She then removed the knife and called the emergency services, but told them she had found Mr Poole outside her home with a stab wound, and the knife still in his leg.

"When you phoned 999 you were asked if the person who stabbed him was still nearby and you said no. You maintained your lie through four police interviews, maintaining that you found the deceased outside your home and you brought him in," Judge Goose told Thorpe.

Paramedics arrived on the scene shortly afterwards but due to the large amount of blood Mr Poole had lost, their efforts to save him were unsuccessful.

Shortly before a murder trial into Mr Poole's death was due to begin in April this year, Thorpe pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

She made the plea on the basis that Mr Poole had picked up the knife first, held it towards her neck and threatened to kill her.

Following a trial of issue today, Thorpe's assertion was rejected by Judge Goose who said he did not believe her version of events - in part due to the way she had ruined her credibility by continuing to lie in great detail with the first version of events she had given to police and the emergency services which had resulted in police looking at other potential suspects.

It was accepted by both the prosecution and defence, however, that Mr Poole had pulled out some of Thorpe's hair during the confrontation between the couple, who were in an 'on-off' relationship for around 18 months.

In a victim personal statement read out in court, Mr Poole's daughter Chelsea described how his death had devastated their entire family.

She said: "No-one can truly imagine how heartbreaking this situation is until you experience it.

She added: "He was only 50-years-old and still had his whole life in front of him."

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